Pbofeller of machineby to be used in cubbents



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, .STATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

JAMES HARDIE, oF VICTORIA, TEXAS. 9

IPIBOPIET.'LERk 0F MACHINERY TO BE 'USED IN CURRFEN'JLS.y

Specication of Letters Patent No. 8,525, dated November 18, 1851 Fig. 2is a Ysponding parts in each of the figures.

The nature of my invention consists in attaching one or more levers atabout their centers to a suitable frame overhanging a river or stream,said frame being properly secured on the bank, in any suitable way, thelevers are attached to the frame by universal joints. To the outer endsof the levers floats or blades are attached against which the currentacts in a manner which will be hereafter described.

The frame above mentioned is hung upon pivots so that it may be raisedor lowered by a windlass or otherwise, and the floats or blades of thelevers be at all times properly submerged in the stream. The other orinner ends of the levers are attached to cranks or connected'withtoothed wheels in such a manner that power may be applied to any machinedesigned to be operated.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

` A A represents the levers, and B B the floats or blades attached tothe outer ends.

C C are the universal oints by which the levers are attached to thecross piece (a) on the end of the frame D, these universal joints are ofordinary construction and will be readily understood by the followingdescription. Each lever A sets between two plates (b) (b). These platesextend up on the sides of the levers and are united under the leverforming a sort of clasp. A hole is drilled through the plates and lever,through which a bolt (c) passes. They are thus allowed to vibratevertically. A rod (cl) is attached to the plate underneath the lever andprojects downward into the cross piece (a) of the frame D and the leversare thus allowed to vibrate horizontally.

(e) (e) are pivots on which the frame D is hung loosely and it will beseen by the drawings that the frame D is hung to an outer or stationaryframe E which is to be vfirmly attached to the shoreor banks of thestream which is represented by I-I. On this stationary frame E is placedthe windlass F around which ropes or- -chains G pass that are attachedto the movable frame D and by this means the frame D is raised orlowered as the height of the stream varies and the floats or blades B Bat all times properly submerged.

I, I, are cranks to which the ends of the levers A A are attached, pins(f) (7) on the levers passing through the ends of the cranks as seenmore particularly in Fig. 2. These cranks are attached to and form partof the shafts J, J, to the ends of which the toot-hed wheels K K areaffixed. The shafts J, J, have their bearings on the cross pieces ndother parts of the frame D, as seen in L, L, are pinions hung on theshaft M, said pinions meshing into the toothed wheels K, K.

N, is a fly wheel also attached to the shaft M.

It will be seen that the gearing just described as well as the leversare all attached to and move with the frame D, when it is raised orlowered.

The operation is simple. The frame D is properly adjusted by means ofthe windlass F and the floats or blades B, B, submerged. Fig. l showsabout the position ofthe frame D and levers A A when the nachine isready for operation, the dotted line X X representing the water line. Wewill suppose the current of a river running in the direction indicatedby the arrow fig. 2, it acts upon the blade of the lever A till thecrank I is brought around to the position shown by the dotted linesmaking half a revolution, the current then acts upon the blade of thelever A which also makes half a revolution and brings back the lever Aabove the surface of the water to its original position ready to beagain acted upon by the current, it will be seen that the fly wheel N isnecessary to carry the cranks past their centers, and if one lever isonly used the fly wheel by its momentum would throw the lever back thehalf revolution of the crank after being moved forward by the current.The shafts J J and toothed wheels K K being made to revolve by thealternate motion of the levers A A a continuous motion is given to theshaft M as Will be readily seen, and power may be applied from it to anymachine.

I do not conine myself to the exact mode of gearing herein described asmany modifications of the same may be used and answer equally Well. But

Vhat I claiml as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis-` The application for the purpose specified of one or more levers A AWith the floats or blades B B at their lower-ends against which thecurrent acts, said levels being attached at about their centers to anadjustable frame D by an universal joint C as described, the upper endsof the levers being attached to cranks I, I, by which, through anysuitable gearing motion is communicated to the shaft M substantially asclescribed.

JAMEs HARDIE.

Vitnesses:

G. W. VRIGHT, Q JOEL T. CASE.

